


all all apologies

by graveExcitement



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Multi, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:07:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27874305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graveExcitement/pseuds/graveExcitement
Summary: Togami tries to kill Naegi, and things go sideways from there.(In which Naegi is flustered, Kirigiri is exasperated, and Togami struggles with emotions.)
Relationships: Kirigiri Kyoko/Naegi Makoto/Togami Byakuya
Comments: 13
Kudos: 94
Collections: Heart Attack Exchange 2020





	all all apologies

**Author's Note:**

  * For [prosodiical](https://archiveofourown.org/users/prosodiical/gifts).



> Title from [the song of the same name](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2esIPsFv8KE) on the Danganronpa soundtrack! Writing this was a blast, I hope you like it!

Byakuya Togami had devoured a number of mystery novels in the days since Monokuma had opened the library to them, and had identified two types of murder that were most likely to be successful in their situation: the complete mystery, and the frame job. Of course, in the source material, the mystery was always solved in the end, because they were novels, but there were still lessons to be learned. 

The 'complete mystery' type of murders were the ones where there were very few clues, and none of the potential suspects could be ruled out with alibis. Without clues, or alibis, Togami suspected the trial would devolve into finger-pointing, baseless suspicions, and wild accusations; without the group coming to a consensus on one person, the murderer would graduate. Ironically, the 'no leaving your rooms at nighttime' rule that the others abided by made this scenario easier; if no one left their room at night save for the victim and killer, no one would have an alibi, and there would certainly be no witnesses. 

In their killing game, this strategy was best employed early, so that the maximum number of suspects were available. This opportunity had been squandered by Kuwata's murder of Maizono, but the benefits of finding out how the trials worked far exceeded that loss. There were still twelve students remaining, including himself, so there were still a good number of suspects. However, there was one problem if _Togami_ committed a murder of this type: due to the declaration he had made in the library several days prior, if ever the group was unable to determine the culprit through evidence and logic, they might decide it was him anyways. This was not insurmountable (particularly if he killed one of the voices of reason in the group, specifically Naegi or Kirigiri, who would be more likely to suspect him), but it was still an obstacle.

The 'frame job' type of murders were exactly what they sounded like: murders where a specific other person was framed for the crime. Maizono's attempted murder of Kuwata had been an attempted frame job, with Naegi as her scapegoat. Indeed, it might have worked quite well if Kuwata had not killed her instead. Since he had had no inkling of the attempted framing, he had not fully taken advantage of it. Even so, the group at large had been convinced it was Naegi for part of the trial; only Kirigiri and Naegi himself appeared to believe otherwise until Naegi proved his innocence. With a more competent framer, the group might have voted for Naegi after all. 

Togami had initially planned to bide his time, maybe get another round of practice in before the main event. It would let him further evaluate who was the biggest threat, in terms of logical reasoning and argumentation. Kirigiri was obvious, but Naegi had also shown a surprising amount of skill in the trial — of course, he had been especially motivated, given how he had been the primary suspect.

However, Monokuma's new motive had provided him with an opportunity. Only hours before the motive was revealed, Fukawa had confessed to him that she had an alternate personality: the serial killer Genocider Syo. There was basically no chance that this was not the secret Monokuma was dangling over her head, which meant that Fukawa certainly had a motive to kill. She'd sworn to Togami that she wouldn't, that she could keep Genocider Syo in check. Togami doubted that, but she didn't have to stay in control for the full twenty-four hours. 

Not when he was going to make his own kill tonight, and pin it on Genocider Syo.

For anyone else, the twenty-four-hour timeframe would be a recipe for disaster: a murder committed with no plan and hasty efforts to get rid of the evidence, like Kuwata had done. But Togami had been analyzing and preparing for days, even if he hadn't planned to actually _do_ it tonight. He had already decided on a location and stowed the necessary materials in a duffle bag he kept under his bed. All he had to do was write a note to his intended victim and slide it underneath his door, then retreat back to his room until the appointed time.

As for his choice of victim, well, that had been obvious. Based on their performances in the first trial, Naegi and Kirigiri were the biggest threats, and of those, Naegi was gullible and physically weak, not to mention fitting the profile for Genocider Syo’s victims. He would kill Naegi, and fool Kirigiri. It was a risk, leaving her alive for the trial, but it was a risk he'd have to take. This opportunity was too good to pass up.

He left his room early enough that Naegi wouldn't run into him on his way there. He kept a keen eye out: if he was seen by anyone, he would likely cancel his plans. If nothing else, he could build trust with Naegi and kill him at a later date. But no one witnessed him leave his room. No one saw him ascend the stairs to the second floor, and no one saw him head for the pool.

He had chosen the pool because it was on the second floor, an out-of-the-way location far from the dormitory, and because the changing rooms provided a buffer between the pool and the hallway. It was also a large space, which would contribute to the atmosphere of fear he would build, when he crucified Naegi's body and painted BLOODSTAIN FEVER on the wall behind him. The more disturbed the others were, the more they would be convinced that this was the work of Genocider Syo. He surveyed the space as he waited, and was satisfied with his choice.

"Togami-kun?" A voice called out. It was Naegi. "You're the one who wrote this note?"

 _I need to meet with you urgently about Monokuma's motive. It concerns my secret. Meet at the pool at one-thirty am._ Written, of course, not in his own elegant handwriting, but in a messy scrawl that was his best imitation of Genocider Syo's style.

"Yes, it was me," Togami replied calmly. This had been the main point of uncertainty in his plan: whether or not the note would be enough to entice Naegi into leaving his room at night. The lucky boy was gullible, to be sure, but he might have become more suspicious after the fiasco with Maizono. Apparently not. _Fool me once..._

Naegi walked closer, but seemed hesitant. "I thought you didn't want to cooperate with us?"

"The situation has changed," he said. "That Monokuma was able to obtain secrets of this caliber makes him a far more dangerous enemy than I initially suspected." 

"Really? I mean, I don't know how he found mine, but it's really not that bad? Embarrassing, I guess, but..."

Togami raised an eyebrow. "Even if your worst secret is merely 'embarrassing,' that doesn't mean everyone else's are. And I assure you, the amount of leverage Monokuma must have, to have discovered some of these secrets, is something to be feared."

"Okay," Naegi said, frowning. He glanced around. "Why the pool?"

"What I am about to tell you is for your ears only," said Togami. "The pool seemed less likely to be inhabited." When Naegi continued to frown, he added, "In particular, Fukawa has taken to following me around, and she knows the usual places to look for me."

"Ah..." He chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah, Fukawa-san seems a little... um..."

"Infatuated," Togami said dryly. “But enough about her. Sit down, and I’ll tell you my secret.”

Naegi sat down, gingerly. Internally, Togami smiled. Aloud, he said, "You are aware, of course, that I am the heir to the Togami Corporation."

He nodded.

"To put it bluntly, the Togami Corporation is on the brink of collapse. Only myself and the highest ranked executives know this. We owe too many debts, and are owed debts by people who can't or won't pay. If we start paying off the debts we can afford, the sharks will smell blood in the water and demand we pay everything. For now, this has been kept under wraps, and I have been working on solutions; however, if it were revealed to the world, as Monokuma claims, it would be the end of the corporation. Whoever's behind Monokuma had the power and connections to discover this information; if they wanted, they could have the Togami Corporation dancing to their tune. Instead they're using it in a foolish attempt to motivate me to kill."

Naegi was quiet for a moment. "Togami-kun, why did you tell me all this?" 

He smirked. "Because I want you, and Monokuma, to know that I'm not afraid of him. His motive does not strike fear into my heart. It simply gave me an opportunity I could not pass up."

"An opportunity?"

"Indeed." In one motion, he drew a sharp letter opener from his pocket and launched himself at Naegi, pinning him to the ground. Naegi seemed to be frozen in shock, staring up at him with terror-filled eyes. Togami took advantage of this, using his other hand to pin Naegi's wrists to the floor above his head. He was hardly one of the group's overly muscled idiots, but he knew the importance of physical fitness. Naegi, it was clear, did not. He struggled fruitlessly against Togami's hold, but froze again when Togami held the letter opener to his throat. “Don’t bother screaming,” he drawled. “No one is even remotely close enough to hear.”

This was it. This was the moment. Ever since Monokuma had laid out the rules, he had understood: he would be the one to win this game, whatever it took. He would rise above the chaos and be the last one standing. He would beat all competitors, and defeat Monokuma himself. He would not kill out of desperation to escape, nor from Monokuma's pathetic motives, but simply because that was what it took to win this game. He would strike, like a snake in the grass, and be victorious.

Below him, Naegi trembled. If Togami was the snake, Naegi was the rabbit. He watched as the boy swallowed nervously, the motion of his throat just barely kissing the blade he held to his throat.

"Togami-kun," Naegi whispered.

His hands shook. Perhaps that was to be expected; he had never killed anyone before. But Kuwata hadn't let that stop him. He gripped the letter opener tighter, trying to steady his hand. This is nothing, he told himself. Just a rabbit. A means to an end. The other students were equally doomed; this one was just the first to die.

Just a rabbit.

"Togami-kun?" Naegi asked, voice stronger now. "If you graduate, can you find my parents and sister, and make sure they're okay?"

A futile attempt to tug on his heartstrings, to remind him that he had a family who loved him. But so had Maizono, so had Kuwata. It meant nothing to him either. Still, if he took it at face value and ignored the attempt at manipulation, it was a small request. A small thing to do for the key to his escape. The boy hadn't even begged Togami not to kill him, not that it would have done any good. He nodded.

"Thank you," Naegi whispered. 

There; he had allowed his victim last words, even a final request. Now it was time to end it. But his hands wouldn't stop shaking, no matter how tight his grip. He stared down at the entirely ordinary boy beneath him. Logically, his life meant even less than any of the other lives in this game. He was plain, ordinary, without a claim to any talent except sheer luck. People like him died every day, and it made no difference to the world. His blood would spill, and his body would cool, and the sum total of his life would be that Byakuya Togami had killed him and won.

He swallowed. His hands were slick with sweat. What was stopping him? He stared down at Naegi, breathing heavily. Naegi stared back up at him, no longer looking so afraid. He mostly just looked... curious? 

Damn him. _Damn him._

Naegi suddenly turned his head towards the locker rooms. "What was that?"

Togami watched him carefully, in case this was some kind of escape attempt. But Naegi didn't move, and gradually, over the sound of his pounding heartbeat, Togami began to hear it too. A voice.

"Are ... making fun of ... I'm strong? Are you fucking with me right now?"

He was hit by a wave of relief so strong it took him a moment to follow the chain of logic to its source. If he could hear voices from the locker rooms, it was too risky to kill Naegi now; he would likely be caught in the act, or seen on his way out. Almost in a daze, he let go of Naegi's wrists and lifted the blade from his throat. "I suppose it's your lucky day," he heard himself say, as if from a distance.

Naegi smiled awkwardly up at him. "Um, could you get off of me? I'm getting worried about what's going on," he said, glancing back at the locker rooms. Indeed, the muffled shouting was getting louder.

Togami complied, and Naegi ran towards the boy's locker room. He stared after him, blade held loosely in his slack hand. He was tempted to throw it away, but he just barely had the presence of mind to not leave potential weapons lying around. He put it back in his pocket and stood up. The same logical part of his brain that told him not to throw out the letter opener also told him not to leave his bag of supplies behind, so he reached down and slung it over his shoulder. Then, lacking any better ideas, he followed Naegi, who had just reached the door and flung it open.

"That's right... I _am_ strong..." someone was saying. Oowada, he realized.

"Oowada-kun?" Naegi said. "Are you all right? You look..." The door fell shut behind him, muffling his words once more.

Togami turned the emotion over in his head as he walked. Relief. He should have been infuriated that his plan had been spoiled, but he was relieved to have that choice taken away from him. It didn't make any sense. It should have been as easy for him as it was for Maizono and Kuwata. Easier, even — Naegi hadn't even put up a fight. 

He reached the locker room, mechanically scanned his handbook, and opened the door to a sight so absurd it took him a moment to process it.

"Oowada-kun, please!" Naegi yelled, dodging a swipe from Oowada, who was wielding a large dumbbell. "Calm down!"

"I'M STRONG!" Oowada roared. "Stronger than you!" He swung again at Naegi, who only managed to dodge by tripping backwards onto the floor. Behind Naegi, Fujisaki sat huddled in a corner, frozen in fright.

"What on earth are you doing, you imbecile?" Togami snapped. "If you kill him you'll be caught instantly. The investigation would be a joke. You'll be executed."

Oowada slowly turned towards him, and Togami was struck by the thought that he looked rather like an enraged bull. Then he charged with a wordless roar, and Togami barely had time to regret choosing the pool for his murder site before Oowada was suddenly falling onto the floor, the dumbbell flying out of his hand and clanging against a locker. Naegi had tripped him, he realized — the other boy's hand was latched onto Oowada's ankle.

"Fuck you!" Oowada shouted, twisting around and slamming his other foot down on Naegi's wrist. Naegi let go with a cry of pain. Oowada stood back up, breathing heavily. "I'm stronger than all of you!" He whirled around and swung a punch at Togami, who dodged to the side.

"If you would just use whatever brain cells you have left and think about what you are doing —" Togami tried.

That was when Oowada grabbed his head and bashed it against the wall behind him, and Togami's world was filled with pain. In the moments before sweet unconsciousness rose up and took him, he heard the faint sound of someone crying.

* * *

Someone was speaking to him.

"Togami-kun? Togami-kun, please wake up!"

He groaned.

"I think he's waking up!" said a different voice.

"Thank fuck," said a third.

He forced his uncooperative eyes to open, only to slam them shut again when the light sent stabbing pains through his head, on top of the already present agony. "Nnn," he said, eloquently.

"Togami-kun?" the first voice asked again. It took a moment for his muddled brain to place the voice; it belonged to Naegi. "We're going to help you, okay? You're going to be fine."

"Doubtful," Togami muttered.

"Well, if he can gripe, he's not dying," said a rough voice. Togami flinched. That voice... something about it gave him a shock of fear. Which was ridiculous, because he was Byakuya Togami, and he feared no one. 

"Maybe keep your voice down?" a timid voice, easily identifiable as Fujisaki, suggested.

"You bastards suck!" yelled Monokuma.

Togami jerked in surprise and pain, head ringing. He cracked his eyes open to confirm that yes, Monokuma had popped up where he wasn't wanted, like always.

"I gave you such a good motive!" Monokuma wailed. "And then you _ruined_ it because you guys _suck at killing!"_

He closed his eyes again. The damn bear was right, even if he couldn't quite remember why.

"I mean, really! You can't even claim it's 'cause this is the first time someone's ever attempted murder! Maizono and Kuwata did it just fine — it's you guys that suck!"

"Bear." Togami forced out the words. "Fuck off."

"What he said," the rough voice from before grunted — Oowada, it was Oowada.

Monokuma sniffed. "None of you appreciate my wit. Or my motives! Or my perfectly planned killing game!"

"Um, Monokuma?" Naegi asked. "Since none of us are dead, and some of us are hurt, could you open up the nurse's office for us?"

"You brats," it said. "You didn't even kill anyone and you want me to open up a new room?"

"It wouldn't be fair if Togami-kun died of his injuries now," he said.

Silence. Then: "Ugh, fine! It would be a super duper boring trial anyway. It's unlocked now, so you bastards better be grateful!"

"Thank you!" said Fujisaki.

"You don't actually gotta thank him," Oowada muttered.

"Just remember," Monokuma chirped, "since none of you killed anyone, the whole world's gonna know your secrets once the time's up!"

"So no one outside this room has killed anyone either, then," Togami concluded.

Monokuma was silent. Probably he was angry, but Togami couldn't be bothered to open his eyes to check. Then the bear said, "There's still time! See you, bastards!"

"Fucking finally," said Oowada. Monokuma must have left, then.

"Togami-kun, do you think you could sit up? We need to get you to the nurse's office, and I don't think you want Oowada-kun to carry you..."

No, he most certainly did not. With difficulty, he forced himself upright. He startled when he felt someone touching him, helping support his weight. He briefly opened his eyes, but the room was spinning in a nauseating fashion. 

"It's all right, I've got you," Naegi said softly, and oh, he was the one helping him. There was something odd about that, something absurd, but he couldn't quite pin down what it was.

Togami barely remembered the journey to the nurse's office. To say he "walked" wound be generous; Naegi and that oaf Oowada bore most of his weight. They were a lopsided trio, given how short Naegi was, but he was loathe to rely on Oowada more than he had to. But eventually, they arrived, Fujisaki opening the door for the others as they practically dragged Togami inside and lowered him onto a bed.

He drifted for a while after that, not quite asleep but not paying attention to the words being said around him. Someone touched his head, and that hurt, but Naegi said something about bandages, so he didn't protest. He thought about that for a minute, Naegi's care. There was something about it that bothered him. It didn't make sense. "Naegi," he murmured, "why are you..."

"I learned some first aid back in the animal-handling club in junior high," Naegi said. "It's not exactly the same, but Oowada-kun and Fujisaki-san know even less, so..." 

That wasn't what he meant, but it was sad that their best medic was _Naegi_.

There was something viscerally wrong with the situation, though it took him a few minutes to puzzle it out. He, Byakuya Togami, should never have been this vulnerable, never mind exposing that vulnerability to others. He needed to be on his guard. But he could barely even keep his eyes open, let alone defend himself. At least Naegi wasn’t a threat. 

Something about that thought bothered him too, but he was too tired to focus on it. Would this be his death? Dazed, confused, on the edge of consciousness; he was a sitting duck for any would-be murderer. 

He was simply too tired to care. 

“Togami-kun?”

He startled awake, cracking his eyes open to see Naegi sitting in a chair next to his bed, looking concerned. “What?” he snapped, with as much energy as he could manage. 

“Um, so I’m pretty sure you have a concussion,” said Naegi, “and I think you’re not supposed to let concussion patients sleep for too long, so…”

Togami glared. A concussion would explain the pounding in his head. “That’s a myth inspired by popular culture. You ought to let concussion patients _rest_.”

He scratched the back of his neck, awkwardly. “Oh, um… are you sure about that?”

Togami rolled his eyes. It hurt. 

“Because, I mean, unless you have medical training…”

“Irrelevant,” he muttered. 

“It sort of is relevant, though? Also, I — I really don’t want you to die, Togami-kun, and I’m worried…” He looked down. 

“I’m not going to die unless someone in this room decides to finish the job and kill me,” he snapped. “Or someone outside it, if they discover my current state.”

“None of us are going to kill you!” Naegi said.

He raised an eyebrow. “And I ended up with a concussion how, exactly? Did I fall down a well?”

“That was me,” Oowada said. Togami turned his head to look at him. He was seated on the floor, against the wall, elbows resting on his knees. Fujisaki was sitting in a chair next to him. 

“Care to elaborate?” Togami sneered. 

Oowada slumped. “You and Naegi interrupted me when I was about to kill Fujisaki,” he said. “I just saw red, and something you said pissed me off even more, so I ended up attacking you. It wasn’t till you collapsed that I started thinking straight.”

He looked back at Naegi. “Tell me again how no one is going to kill me?”

Naegi had the grace to look sheepish. “Oowada-kun’s not going to do anything now,” he said. “And we’ll stop him if he does.”

“Who’s ‘we’?” he sneered. “You and Fujisaki?”

Fujisaki raised her head. “Oowada-kun won’t do anything,” she said, in what might have been the firmest tone he’d ever heard from her. 

He rolled his eyes. “Nothing I can do about it either way.” Though maybe it was good Naegi was forcing him to stay awake. If he was to die here, it wouldn’t be in his sleep. 

“I’m not gonna snap again,” Oowada said. “I… I can’t stop seeing it. Your body on the locker room floor. _I_ did that. I nearly killed you. All three of you. What kind of man does that?”

“I suppose if you’d killed all of us, there would have been no witnesses,” Togami said. “Not that I believe you are capable of cleaning up such a crime scene or getting away with it.”

“For fuck’s sake —“ He clenched his fists and then breathed out, slowly. “Why is that what you fixate on? You said something about that in the locker room, too. How I’d be caught instantly or some shit.”

“The challenge in this game is about killing _without getting caught_ ,” he said, feeling more awake just from sheer exasperation. “Precisely to prevent the kind of mindless violence you apparently prefer. Otherwise, you or Oogami would be handed graduation on a platter. To kill without regard for the consequences is illogical.”

“I don’t think Oowada-kun’s actions were based in logic,” Naegi said.

“Then _why?”_ Togami snapped, and immediately felt rather childish. God, his head hurt.

"Ever since Monokuma gave us that shit about our darkest secrets," Oowada began, "I knew I couldn't let anyone find out about mine. My gang… if they found out, it would ruin everything my brother and I built. I was just going around in a daze, trying to ignore the pit of dread growing in my stomach. Then Fujisaki told me... told me her secret, and I felt like a fraud, talking about being 'strong.' I was jealous of Fujisaki's strength, and that jealousy rose up in me and I saw red. Next thing I knew, I was staring down at you — for a moment there I really thought you were dead."

Togami frowned. "So, instead of deciding that you could not allow your secret to get out and planning to kill as a result, you simply attacked out of rage and jealousy, regardless of the consequences had you succeeded."

"Ah, Togami-kun?" Naegi said. "I think the issue here is you're expecting everyone to be as logical as you are? But people's actions don't just come from logic, they're influenced by our emotions too. And you're not immune to that either."

Togami looked at Naegi, a dismissive reply on the tip of his tongue. Naegi looked back, patiently, and he suddenly remembered Naegi staring up at him, a curious look in his eye despite the blade held to his throat. His stomach turned, and he closed his eyes for a moment. He had tried to murder Naegi, he remembered now. He had had the perfect plan, but he hadn't been able to take the final step. Logically, it made no sense, and neither did the relief he'd felt when he'd realized it was too risky to go through with it. So there was truth in what Naegi said.

He was so tired.

"You need to stay awake," said Naegi, and Togami snapped his eyes open. 

"I wasn't sleeping," he grumbled, though he wasn't completely sure. Had he lost time? He tried to check the clock, but he couldn’t make his vision focus enough to make out the hands. Instead, he glanced at the other occupants of the room. If he couldn't sleep, he could at least accomplish something. "Monokuma," he called out.

"Yeeees?" Monokuma arrived, claws bared. "I hope you idiots-who-can't-even-kill-people-properly have a good reason to bother me at ass-o-clock in the morning!"

Togami gave him his best condescending stare, as much as he could while lying in a hospital bed. "Is there a limit on how many people one culprit can kill? If Oowada had killed one of us, the others would have seen. But if he killed the other two as well, he could at least have attempted to get away with it. It goes against the intention of the game you have set up for us."

"That doesn't seem fair," Naegi agreed.

"Hmm." Monokuma was quiet for a moment. "That's actually a good point! Okay, new rule: each culprit is limited to a maximum of two murders!" As he spoke, all the student handbooks in the room beeped.

"Two?" Fujisaki asked. "Why not just one?"

"Well, the possibility of a serial murder is just too good to pass up! This allows for that possibility, while still being fair! Everyone wins!" And with that, Monokuma disappeared again.

"There," said Togami. "Now there's no chance of a bloodbath."

Naegi blinked. "That's... good?"

"Of course it is, idiot," Togami said. "Honestly, to think you have no concern about being in close quarters with someone who very recently tried..." He trailed off before he could say 'to kill you,' remembering that he also fit that description.

"I trust Oowada-kun," he said. "But it was good thinking, getting Monokuma to make that rule. I don't want to think anyone here would want to kill one person, let alone more than two, but..." He absently rubbed at his throat. Togami averted his eyes. Then he looked back at Naegi; something about the motion was bothering him, and it wasn't just the reminder that he had tried and failed to kill him. He studied the boy next to him. He was touching his throat with his left hand, he realized; his right was hanging stiffly next to him.

"Is something wrong with your wrist?" he asked. He vaguely remembered a cry of pain that could only have been Naegi.

Naegi startled. "Oh — uh, yeah, I should probably do something about that, huh? I guess I got so wrapped up in making sure you were okay, I forgot about it."

"Idiot," he grumbled.

"I can try and splint it, if you give me directions?" Fujisaki offered.

Togami closed his eyes while the others set about trying to splint Naegi's wrist. The memories were coming back to him now, if in a hazy, somewhat fragmented fashion. With some effort, he could piece them together into a causal chain of events. He remembered Oowada slamming his foot down on Naegi's wrist, and Naegi crying out in pain. And that had been because Naegi had grabbed Oowada's ankle to trip him while he was trying to attack Togami.

Why? Why would he do that? Togami had just attempted to murder Naegi. Why would Naegi try to save him? What on earth could make him consider that a good idea? 

_But people's actions don't just come from logic, they're influenced by our emotions too._

Then, in that case, what emotions could have spurred that instinct? Wouldn't he hate and fear Togami, for trying to kill him? He had been afraid at first, certainly. When had that gone away? What could have prompted its replacement with this care? Togami hadn't _done_ anything. He'd just let Naegi go. Was that enough for him? Was gratitude for not killing him enough of a positive emotion to balance out the fact that he'd tried? 

He couldn't understand him. He couldn't understand why anyone in this room had acted the way they had tonight. Not even himself.

* * *

Togami woke from a doze to a new voice.

"Well, this is interesting," said Kirigiri. 

"Kirigiri-san!" yelped Naegi. "Are you alright?"

"I am fine, thank you. There's no need to make a fuss."

"Ah... Well, you came to the nurse's office, so I worried you might be hurt."

There was a silence that Togami thought probably meant Kirigiri was raising an eyebrow, or giving Naegi a pondering look. "This room wasn't unlocked until tonight," she said. "If I had been injured I would not have attempted to come here."

"Oh. Right, yeah." Naegi laughed awkwardly.

"I was in my room all night," she continued, "until my student handbook lit up with a new rule. I concluded that this would not have occurred out of nowhere, and so something had happened to inspire this rule. I set out to investigate. I didn't expect to hear voices coming from this room, of all places." A pause. "I am pleasantly surprised to see that you are all alive. At least, I assume so. Monokuma hasn't played a body announcement, after all, and I hardly think you would be so cavalier if Togami-kun was dead."

Togami opened his eyes so that he could glare. 

"Ah, so you were awake. I wondered."

"Have you tried wondering something useful?" he sneered.

"If you mean 'do I have questions,' then yes, many of them. I'm sure there's quite a story behind the four of you ending up in the nurse's office, which was previously locked, and which would necessitate Monokuma's new rule."

Naegi hastened to explain the whole sordid tale: At a nighttime meeting in the locker room, Fujisaki told Oowada her secret, prompting a jealous rage and a murder attempt, which was interrupted by Naegi and shortly thereafter by Togami, prompting a halfway successful murder attempt. Afterwards, Oowada snapped out of it, they convinced Monokuma to open the nurse's office, they came here and provided first aid, and Togami asked Monokuma how many victims a culprit could kill, prompting the new rule.

"Interesting," Kirigiri said. "I have several follow-up questions. The first question is, what were Fujisaki-san and Oowada-kun doing meeting in the locker room in the first place?"

Naegi frowned. "Didn't I say? Fujisaki-san decided to tell Oowada-kun her secret."

"Yes, I understood that much. But why in the boy's locker room?" She paused. "Don't tell me it didn't occur to you that she shouldn't have been able to even get in?"

"Eh... Not really?" He laughed awkwardly.

She raised an eyebrow and turned to Togami. "I suppose you have your concussion to excuse you."

He scowled. He hadn't thought about it, but he wasn't about to tell her that. "There's a loophole in the rules," he said instead. "They forbid you from lending out your handbook, but not from borrowing another student's, and the handbooks of the dead are freely available in the entrance hall. If she took Kuwata's handbook, she could easily have gotten in."

Kirigiri tilted her head slightly. "I suppose you're right," she said. "If nothing else, I can trust that you have spent considerable time figuring out how to exploit the rules."

"That — that's not how I got in," said Fujisaki. "I... I used my own handbook."

Togami's brow furrowed. "Your own...?" His eyes widened as the realization hit him.

"Y-yeah. That's the secret Monokuma had over me, and I want... I want to be stronger than that." Fujisaki winced, glancing at Oowada, who looked down.

"You are strong," said Oowada. "A thousand times stronger than me, you have no idea. I mean, shit, what am I talking about. You have every idea."

"If... if you say so," said Fujisaki, darting a nervous look at the other three. "You're... you're not mad?"

"Of course not!" said Naegi.

"Certainly not," Kirigiri concurred. 

Togami raised an eyebrow when Fujisaki looked to him. "I am currently lying in bed with a concussion because Oowada tried to kill me," he said. "Your gender is irrelevant to me."

Fujisaki lit up, as though he'd said something kind. "Thank you!"

"Whatever," he said. "It's not as if it's any of our business, whether you live as a boy or a girl." For some reason this made Fujisaki smile wider.

"Monokuma, however, was clearly trying to play on Fujisaki-san's gender anxieties," Kirigiri observed. "Given the secret motive and, in retrospect, the strict rules about the gendered changing rooms."

"Monokuma's a dick," Oowada said, with his usual eloquence.

"Quite," said Kirigiri. "Now, my next question... Naegi-kun, which direction did you come from? The way you described the encounter, it sounded like you and Togami-kun came from the pool."

"That's because we did?"

She raised an eyebrow. "What were you and Togami-kun doing at the pool past one in the morning?"

"Uh." Naegi visibly blue screened. "It — that — we were exchanging secrets!"

"Exchanging secrets."

"Y-yes."

"At the pool."

"Yeah."

"With _Togami-kun_."

"Yes?"

"You do realize how unbelievable that sounds, right?"

"Well — it's true!" Naegi babbled. "Togami-kun sent me a note to meet at the pool, because Monokuma had a really big secret about him and he realized Monokuma was more dangerous than he'd thought, so he wanted to meet up and collaborate in secret. He, he told me his secret, only I can't share it unless he says that's okay, and then we heard shouting from the locker room so we went to investigate. That's what happened!" By the end of the story, he almost sounded confident enough to be believable.

Kirigiri slowly turned to Togami. "Is that so?"

Togami barely heard her, fixated as he was on Naegi. The boy was sitting up straight, and had at some point pulled his chair closer to Togami's bed, putting himself in between him and Kirigiri. "Naegi," he said slowly, "what are you doing?"

Naegi shot him a pleading look. "I'm trying to explain to Kirigiri-san," he said. "I... I know I didn't explain your reasoning very well, and your secret is yours to share. It might be helpful if you..." If he backed up Naegi's story, he mentally filled in.

Togami stared at Naegi. The boy didn't make sense. Nothing about him made sense. He should be ordinary, a talentless plebeian in a school of his betters. He should be cowed, frightened, by being thrown into a killing game, framed, and then having someone try to kill him. Instead he was trying to protect Togami. It was absurd. Naegi wasn't ordinary in the slightest.

He finally looked to Kirigiri. "More or less accurate; he omitted the part where I tried to kill him before we heard the shouts from the locker room."

Fujisaki gasped.

"You WHAT?" Oowada roared. "After all that talk about how I tried to kill you — are you fucking serious?!"

"I don't know why this surprises you," said Togami. "I was clear upfront about my intentions."

"But... why..." Fujisaki looked to be on the verge of tears again.

"I see," Kirigiri said. "So you aborted your plan upon realizing you might be witnessed."

"Maybe I should've killed you after all," Oowada growled.

"No, that's wrong!" Naegi shouted, jumping to his feet. All eyes in the room turned to him. "Togami-kun... did try to kill me. But it wasn't because of the voices we heard from the locker room that he decided not to. He... he had ample time to kill me and get away before that happened. I know because he tried, and he couldn't go through with it. He couldn't actually bring himself to..." He touched his throat. "To kill me. So that's why I didn't want to tell you guys, because I knew you'd react this way. Because Togami-kun isn't actually as bad as he makes himself out to be... even if he thinks he is."

Togami stared at him. "I don't understand you," he said. 

Kirigiri sighed. "I can see why you thought hiding this was a good idea," she said. "However, I much prefer the truth. Not only does it provide a more accurate explanation of the events and motives involved, it also gives me a better understanding of what to expect from Togami in the future."

"He's not going to kill anyone," said Naegi.

"He _tried_ ," said Oowada.

"Oh, don't be a hypocrite," Togami said. He laughed, bitterly. "What a pair we make. You had the will to kill, but no plan. I had a plan, but not the will. Together, we make one competent murderer."

Oowada sputtered with rage, then slumped back against the wall. "Fuck. I can't believe I'm on the same level as _him_."

"Of everyone in this school, I believe the people in this room are the least likely to attempt murder in the future," said Kirigiri.

Togami raised an eyebrow. "You learn about two attempted murderers and you're considering us _more_ trustworthy?"

"If what Naegi-kun says is true, you had every chance to get away with murder, and you couldn't go through with it. You're more human than you think you are, Togami-kun, and that's reassuring. Also, in the event that you do decide to murder again, the people in this room would be more likely to suspect you, greatly increasing your chances of being executed. If nothing else, I trust your self-preservation to keep you in check. As for Oowada-kun, I think that if you had successfully killed any of your classmates — whether Fujisaki-san, or Naegi-kun, or Togami-kun — it would have haunted you for the rest of your short life. You almost did kill Togami, so you can imagine that, can't you? Having his death on your hands?"

"I... yeah." Oowada stared at his clenched fists. "Of course I can fucking imagine."

"Then you have reckoned with the true cost of taking a life, more than anyone here. And, having that experience, I don't think you would attempt murder again. That's not to say it's impossible, of course; it would be foolish to trust either of you blindly. However, the people outside this room have not faced any of the realities of killing. There is no telling what they are capable of."

The room was silent for a minute. Then Naegi said, "I think this proves that Monokuma's going to have a harder time than he thinks, getting us to kill each other. Any of us, in this room or outside of it."

He sounded so confident. Kirigiri's logic, Togami could understand. He wasn't about to do anything that would get himself executed, and too many people would be suspicious of him if he did kill someone, especially if his victim was one of the people in this room. She could trust his self-preservation, and he understood that. What didn't make sense was Naegi's relentless optimism. 

"We can hope so," said Kirigiri. "Now, unless you're planning to stay here all night, it might be best to go back to your rooms."

"Shouldn't someone stay with Togami-kun?" Naegi said.

"That would be prudent," she said. "However, that doesn't mean he needs to stay here. He can recover just as easily in his own room."

His room. A comfortable bed. Most importantly, a door that _locked_. "I concur," he said, moving to sit up. The room only spun a little bit when he did so, which he counted as a success. "There's not much else the nurse's office can offer me at this point."

"If you're sure," said Naegi.

The walk to the dorms was easier than the trip from the pool had been. He wasn't nearly as disoriented, and could get by with only leaning on Naegi a little for support. He loathed the display of weakness, but at least no one else witnessed their procession, and they had all seen worse.

When they reached the dorms, Fujisaki shyly bid them goodnight and Oowada stuttered out a reply, then shut himself in his room. If Togami never had to see the oaf again, it would be too soon. At his own door, Togami had to pause a moment to root through his pockets for his key. In his jacket pocket, his questing fingers brushed against the blade he'd stowed there hours before and froze. 

"Is there a problem?" Kirigiri asked.

"No," he snapped. He shoved his other hand in the other jacket pocket and was rewarded with the key. He unlocked the door and pushed it open with enough force that he stumbled on his way inside.

"Are you alright?" Naegi asked, following him in. 

"Peachy," he groused. He heard the sound of the door closing; when he turned, Kirigiri stood just inside the door, closing it and locking it. She turned and tossed him the key, which he only barely managed to catch. "Since when were you invited?" he said, glaring.

"Why did you attempt to kill Naegi-kun?" she asked, completely ignoring his question. "Monokuma's motive?"

He rolled his eyes, shucking off his blazer and tossing it over a chair. That would bother him in the morning, but right now he sincerely couldn’t care less. "Hardly. I am above petty blackmail."

"It sounded pretty serious, though," Naegi pointed out.

"And? Monokuma does not control me. He is welcome to reveal that secret; I'm not desperate to protect it." He looked at the other two, and was struck by an unexpected similarity: their inquisitive eyes. After a moment of consideration, he decided to sate their curiosity. His plans were already up in flames, after all. "The motive is only relevant because I know Fukawa's secret, and planned to frame her for the murder."

"Her secret?" Naegi and Kirigiri said in unison. They glanced at each other, and Naegi added, "Er, maybe you shouldn't tell us. Fukawa-san probably wouldn't want you sharing..."

Togami snorted. "You're the one who's been talking about how it'll be more difficult for Monokuma to get us to kill each other. Does the knowledge that we have a serial killer in our midst change your opinion?"

"Wait, what?"

He smirked. "Oh, so now you're interested. Fukawa has an alternate personality, a serial killer she can't control. I'm sure you've heard of Genocider Syo?"

"She told you this?" said Kirigiri.

"A few hours before Monokuma laid out his new motive. And of course, at that moment I knew what her secret had to be. She swore to me that she would stay in control, that she would lock herself in her room. I decided there was no time like the present for 'Genocider Syo' to strike."

"I see. If you'd been successful, you might have even been able to convince Fukawa herself that she was guilty."

"Indeed." He spotted Naegi's frown, and looked away. How was it that trying to murder Naegi had somehow earned his protection, but discussing the framing that would come after upset him? Even as he thought that, he remembered how Maizono had framed Naegi, and how he'd borne the weight of the group's suspicion for most of the investigation and trial. Togami grimaced. "It's no longer relevant," he said. "The only remaining point of evidence is that depending on how desperate she is to conceal Genocider Syo, Fukawa may murder for real. Or she may lose control of Syo." 

"Let me guess," Kirigiri said. "You're concerned you may be targeted?" 

He sat down on the bed, a wave of exhaustion passing through him. After a moment, he thought to unlace his shoes and set them aside. "I would have been a viable target before this. According to her file, Genocider Syo only kills men, preferably pretty men. Given Fukawa's fixation on me, I feel it's a reasonable conclusion." Though the head injury and resultant vulnerability weren’t helping matters either. 

"Hold on," said Naegi. "You said Syo only... only kills pretty men, but you were going to frame her for _my_ murder? Weren't you worried someone might pick up on the inconsistency?"

"What inconsistency?" He stared at Naegi, who was sputtering and slowly growing red, before finally putting it together. "Oh, please," he said. "You're hardly of my caliber, of course, but your looks, while comparatively plain, wouldn't disqualify you from..." Being murdered and crucified by Genocider Syo. Or by Togami attempting to do the same. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm going to sleep," he announced.

Naegi was still blushing, but now appeared to be capable of putting together words. "Is that okay? I mean, with your concussion and all..."

"It's safe to let concussion patients sleep as long as they are capable of holding a coherent conversation and don't have dilated pupils or other symptoms," Kirigiri said.

"Really?" Naegi laughed awkwardly. Togami shot him a halfhearted glare. "Sorry about that, Togami-kun."

"Whatever," he grumbled. He glanced at Kirigiri. "I'm sure Naegi intends to stay and ensure I don't die in my sleep." Though if he had a brain hemorrhage, there wasn't much Naegi would be able to do about it. "Don't tell me you plan to stay as well?"

"I still have a few things to ask Naegi-kun," she demurred.

He narrowed his eyes. "First you keep me awake directly, now you won't even let me sleep in peace?"

She raised her eyebrows. "Once you fall asleep, I doubt you'd hear it if we held a party in your room."

"If I wake up to noise at any point, I'm throwing you out," he said, turning his back on her and sliding under the (perfectly made) covers. "Naegi, turn out the lights."

"Ah — of course!" The lights were out in short order, and Togami breathed a silent sigh of relief as his headache abated slightly. It should have bothered him more, having them in the room while he slept. The Togami from this morning certainly would not have allowed himself to fall asleep in anyone else's presence, not in this game. Somehow he had become unmoored from that self, from all of his expectations and plans. He listened to the sound of Kirigiri and Naegi murmuring to each other, and drifted away.

* * *

When he woke, he felt significantly more clear-minded, though his head still hurt. Surprisingly, his room was empty; there was a note on his bedside table from Naegi, saying that he would bring back breakfast from the cafeteria. But for now, he was alone for the first time since he'd gone to the pool last night.

He laid back against his pillows and stared at the ceiling. How had everything gone so awry? He had been set to win. He'd been ready for the challenge of misdirecting the trial and guiding the witch hunt against Fukawa. Somehow on the way, the floor had fallen out from under his feet, and he had essentially zero chance of winning Monokuma's game.

"Somehow." No, he had to be honest with himself: it was his own shortcoming. Maizono and Kuwata and Oowada had all been capable of taking others’ lives, but he had hesitated. He couldn't do it. If he was the same sort of person as Naegi and Fujisaki, who couldn't fathom hurting another human being, shouldn't he have known? How had he failed to notice and account for it? 

_You're more human than you think you are, Togami-kun._

He shook his head. It was useless to dwell on it now. He had essentially taken himself out of the competition, but he refused to die here. He would find a way out of this school, and if graduation was not a path available to him, he would find another way, even if he had to work with Naegi or Kirigiri to do it.

...Ironic. The lie he'd told Naegi about his intention to cooperate with him had become the truth.

Naegi soon returned with the promised breakfast and a change of bandages, and Togami pretended to listen to his awkward chatter while he ate. He recalled his hazy, concussed thoughts about how the other boy was incomprehensible, and while he attributed most of that to the concussion, there was a kernel of truth. He couldn't understand why Naegi would want to protect _him_ , after what he'd attempted. Maybe not even Naegi knew. 

Sometime in the last day, logic seemed to have gone out the window.

He spent the day in his room, not wanting to leave while he was still vulnerable. Naegi insisted on making himself useful, and Togami sent him to fetch books from the library, and food when he grew hungry. Kirigiri stopped by once, to inform him that she’d found his supplies and returned them to the storage room, along with his intended murder weapon. He thought about protesting that he wouldn’t be able to defend himself, but it was a feeble argument. After all, he’d had it in his pocket when Oowada had attacked him, and in his pocket it had remained. So he let it go.

As afternoon slid into evening, Naegi grew visibly nervous. It seemed that despite his optimism, he understood that, even if the motive had failed twice, it might yet strike true. When the nighttime announcement played, Naegi jumped in his seat.

"It's been twenty-four hours! And since _none_ of you —" Monokuma extended his claws — "managed to kill anyone, you know what happens next! Everyone, meet at the gym for some despairful secrets!" The screen shut off.

"We'd better go," said Naegi, clearly relieved.

"We don't exactly have a choice," Togami said, annoyed that he had to leave his haven. Not that anyone would be committing murder at this stage, but he still hated the display of weakness. At least he was able to walk to the gym under his own power.

The group assembled in the gym. Naegi made a beeline for Kirigiri, who had arrived before them, and Togami found himself following. The other students were also mostly clustering into pairs and small groups; Asahina and Oogami stood close together, as did Ludenberg and Yamada, and Ishimaru hovered near Oowada and Fujisaki. Hagakure wandered in last.

Fukawa stood alone. He avoided making eye contact with her.

Monokuma sprang up from the floor. “Took you bastards long enough! First you can’t even kill anyone, then you keep me waiting…”

“Sorry, man,” said Hagakure. Togami rolled his eyes.

“Whatever! I hope you kids are happy. You have no right to complain — you had every chance to keep those secrets secret, but _some_ of you _suck_ at killing, and the rest of you didn’t even try!”

“Get on with it, Monokuma,” Ludenberg said. She was trying to sound bored, but her voice held an undercurrent of tension. “Yes, none of us killed anyone. Move on already, please.”

“Alrighty! You asked for it!” The bear rifled through a bowl of paper slips, then plucked one out. “Makoto Naegi… wet the bed until the fifth grade!”

The group was quiet. Asahina said, “Well, that’s a bit embarrassing, but…”

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of!” Ishimaru declared.

How ordinary. No wonder this motive hadn’t seemed to weigh on Naegi. 

Monokuma moved on, and Togami quickly became bored. Monokuma seemed to delight in building suspense by finding the ‘tamest’ secrets first, which while humiliating or shameful for the person in question, were not worth killing over. He didn’t care why Hagakure had been held back three grades in school, he’d already heard Fujisaki’s secret, and the only interesting thing about Ludenberg’s real name was the rage it stirred in her. He listened with boredom and annoyance as Monokuma read out his own secret, and dismissed the others’ attempts at consolation. 

Finally, Monokuma reached the “juicier” secrets. “Mondo Oowada,” he read out with relish, “killed his own brother!”

Togami’s attention sharpened. He listened to the sordid tale, and found himself oddly disappointed. This was the secret he’d nearly been killed over? He glanced at Oowada. There was no trace of rage in him anymore, only shame. Fujisaki and Ishimaru tried to console him, and Togami looked away.

“Next up… oh!” Monokuma giggled. “This is a good one! Kyouko Kirigiri has total amnesia, and has no memory of who she is.”

The group broke out in hushed murmurs. “Is that true, Kirigiri-san?” said Naegi.

“It is,” said Kirigiri. “When I woke up in this school for the first time, I had no memories. All I recalled was my name. Even my talent is lost to me.”

“Interesting,” said Togami. “Have you had trouble forming memories since then?”

“If I did, I wouldn’t necessarily be cognizant of it,” she pointed out. “But no, not that I’m aware. The amnesia only covers my memories from before arriving here.”

“I’m sure you have a great talent,” said Naegi. “We can help you figure out what it is!”

“Okay, enough with the sappiness,” Monokuma said. “We’re down to our final two secrets, and they’re both real winners! Here goes: Touko Fukawa has a second personality, the serial killer Genocider Syo!”

The gym went deathly silent.

“That… that’s gotta be fake, right?” said Oowada.

“It’s real,” Togami said. “She told me herself. She regularly wakes up next to corpses, with no memory of what she’s been doing, and has to flee the scene. We’re lucky she’s kept Genocider Syo in check this long.”

“I — I know you all hate me,” Fukawa said. “But I’m n-not going to let h-her kill any of you.”

“Well, if you change your mind,” Monokuma said cheerfully, “just remember the newest rule! Only two victims per culprit!”

“Shut up, Monokuma!” Asahina snapped. She offered Fukawa a strained smile. “None of us hate you, Fukawa-chan.”

She shook her head. “I k-know you have to s-say that,” she said.

“It’s true!” said Naegi. “Living like that sounds scary, Fukawa-san. I can’t imagine what that must be like for you. But we really don’t hate you, I promise.” He was so earnest, not even Fukawa could put up an argument. Naegi’s absurd optimism must have been infectious, because the rest of the group offered their own platitudes of support. 

Togami stayed silent. She was a serial killer; there was no telling what Genocider Syo would do if let loose. But as it stood, the serial killer had not yet tried to kill anyone, which put her one step above Oowada and Togami. So when Fukawa looked pleadingly at Togami, he gave her a nod, which seemed to placate her. 

“Moving on!” said Monokuma. “This is it! The big finale! Sakura Oogami —”

“I have been working as a mole for Monokuma,” Oogami interrupted.

“Hey!” Monokuma yelled. “I’m the one who gets to do the reveal!”

“He threatened my family, and ordered me to report to him. I did his bidding, to my shame. But no longer. If the mastermind wants to hurt my family, they are welcome to try. They won’t succeed.” She lowered her head. “I know that this betrayal is unconscionable, and I understand if you no longer wish to associate with me.”

“Sakura-chan!” Asahina cried, taking one of Oogami’s hands in hers. “Of course you’re still our friend!”

“He threatened your family!” said Ishimaru. “Any one of us would have done the same, in your position!” 

“By revealing this,” Kirigiri said, “Monokuma is aiming to divide us. But the fault lies entirely with him, not you.”

“That’s right!” Naegi said. “He’s trying to make us suspect or think less of each other. But none of the secrets Monokuma revealed today make us worth less, and we know better than to fall for his manipulations.”

“Upupu… is that so?” Monokuma giggled. “Well, I’ll leave you to it!” And finally, he was gone. 

The group dissolved as they made their way back to the dorms. Ishimaru was sure to remind them that it was nighttime, and that they should all go straight to bed and not leave their rooms. Togami was about to unlock his own room when he noticed Naegi lingering in the hallway. Togami put his key back in his pocket and waited as well; when everyone else had gone into their rooms, Naegi went up to Kirigiri’s door and knocked.

Togami could have ignored whatever Naegi was doing and gone to bed. Instead, he stepped up to stand beside him at Kirigiri’s door. Naegi shot him a bright smile, which he did not acknowledge.

Kirigiri opened the door, glanced between them, and gestured them inside. Togami glanced around her room, but there wasn’t much worth examining. At the desk were a few files he recognized from the library’s back room; the top one was Genocider Syo’s file. So she’d been doing her own research.

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” Naegi was saying.

“And Togami-kun?” she asked.

He turned to her. She was giving him a cool, appraising look. “Apparently I haven’t gotten my fill of tedious nighttime conversations,” he said.

She smirked. “Planning to sleep through this one as well?” 

“That depends. Are you capable of making it worth my time?”

Kirigiri was quiet for a moment, contemplating. Then she spoke. “You’re a person who has always seen everything in life as a competition, and you have never considered a possibility other than winning. The killing game was no different; not only did you intend to win, but you boasted about it beforehand even when pretending to cooperate would have netted you less suspicion. But after last night, both your plans and your self-conception have gone up in smoke. You’re here because you want an alternative that still lets you come out on top, and you think we’re your best chance at that. Am I wrong?”

He folded his arms. “...No.”

“If that’s how you need to justify your choices to yourself, that’s fine. But don’t pretend we’re forcing you to be here. Naegi trusts you, yes, and I trust your self-preservation instinct. I think you could be a useful ally, Togami-kun… if you bend your proud neck.”

Togami looked at her, and at Naegi, who was glancing between them nervously. The weight of Kirigiri’s gaze, of her words, made him feel even more exposed than he had when lying in a hospital bed. To be so transparent was not only bothersome, but dangerous. But there was nothing he could do to rectify it. He could withdraw to himself and avoid them both, but that wouldn’t make anything she’d said less true. Worse, it would be backing down from her challenge, and something in him instinctively rebelled at that idea.

Slowly, he inclined his head. “I hope you’re not expecting me to be friendly.”

“I’m no fool. I just wanted us all to be on the same page.” 

“Well, you’ve accomplished that.” He leaned against the shelves. “Speaking of being on the same page: amnesia?”

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” said Naegi.

Kirigiri shook her head. “There’s not much to talk about. I woke up in a classroom, the same as all of you did, only I didn’t remember anything about my life or who I was before I entered this school. Only my name.”

“You clearly remember facts about how the world works,” said Togami.

She nodded. “It’s retrograde amnesia; I still retain my semantic memory, just not my episodic memory.”

“The fact that you know what retrograde amnesia is says something about the kind of person you were before you lost your memory,” he drawled.

“Indeed. More importantly, my lack of memory… in one way, it’s a boon. Monokuma has no way to motivate me to kill, because I do not remember the outside world. The only thing that could motivate me is pure survival, and I am confident in my ability to survive without resorting to murder.”

Naegi frowned. “Why… I mean, amnesia doesn’t just happen, right? Something has to cause it.”

“Correct. Furthermore, the timing cannot be a coincidence.”

Togami tapped his fingers against the shelves he was leaning against. “We can assume, at least for now, that the mastermind is responsible, due to the timing. The mastermind has set up a game in which Monokuma goads us to kill each other. With that goal, anything that makes you less susceptible to manipulation is undesirable. Therefore, if the mastermind did this, then they must have viewed removing your motivation to escape as less problematic than letting your memories stay intact. Whatever you’ve forgotten was likely dangerous for the mastermind.”

She nodded. “Unfortunately, knowing that doesn’t help me remember anything.”

“We’ll figure it out,” said Naegi. “We’ll help you get your memories back, or… or build new memories together, if we can’t.”

A faint blush arose on Kirigiri’s cheeks. “Thank you, Naegi-kun. Now, if you don’t mind, it’s rather late. We can continue discussing this in the morning.”

Naegi smiled. “Yes, of course! Good night, Kirigiri-san!” He made for the door, and Togami gave Kirigiri a silent nod before following him out.

The door clicked shut behind them, and Togami heard the faint _snick_ of the door locking. Smart. He expected nothing less.

Naegi turned to him. "How's your head feeling?"

"Why —" Togami bit out, then pressed his lips together. The idiom 'don't look a gift horse in the mouth' applied here. Naegi was one of his only allies (and how bizarre it was, to suddenly have to think in terms of allies and social dynamics rather than rivals and victims) and calling attention to his illogic would likely be ill received. But he felt an insatiable curiosity he couldn't shake. "Why are you so..." He struggled to come up with an adequate descriptor. 

He stepped closer. "Because I'm worried about you, Togami-kun."

"Did you forget how I tried to kill you?" he snapped. "How can you be worried? How can you care?" 

Naegi reached out with his right hand, the one with the splinted wrist. Togami stared in shock as, with utmost care, Naegi took his hand in his.

"You're right," he said. "You had my life in your hands, and it was terrifying. I was lying there, and all I could do was wait for the end. But it never came, and I looked in your eyes, and I realized you didn't want to do it. It was easy to forgive you, after that. And in a way it was lucky you brought me to the pool, because we were there to stop Oowada-kun from killing Fujisaki-san, and it's how you and me and Kirigiri-san got closer... Oh, not to say it's good that you got hurt!" He squeezed Togami's hand, gently. "I'm just glad no one died."

Everything he was saying was ridiculous, yet his heart was pounding nearly as much as it did at the pool. "Forgive me?" he said. "I didn't even apologize."

"Do you want to?" He spoke without a trace of judgement.

"It would hardly make your actions make sense retroactively," Togami said. He heard the echo of Kirigiri's voice: _Bend your proud neck._ He looked away. "I... apologize."

"I forgive you," Naegi said easily.

He rolled his eyes. "Of course you do," he said, and was dismayed to hear himself almost sound fond. "If you're done being sentimental, we should sleep."

"All right," said Naegi, letting go of Togami's hand. He refused to miss the feeling. "Goodnight, Togami-kun."

Togami nodded, and retreated to his room. It felt oddly empty, bereft. He shook his head and set about preparing to sleep. He couldn’t afford to let himself be swayed by sentimentality. Not that he had felt any such thing in the first place; he had simply gotten used to Naegi’s presence, the same way you’d get used to the drone of an air conditioner, and now it wasn’t there. His hand felt cold because of the absence of warmth. That was all.

Yet he couldn’t quite find the same comfort in his bed as he had the night before. Logically, it should be the reverse: other people’s presence should have made it difficult to relax, and solitude should have been a comfort. Trusting Kirigiri and Naegi was dangerous, so he shouldn’t miss their presence. 

And he didn’t. That would be foolish.

...He was a fool. But that should have been clear to him ever since he’d failed to put a blade through Naegi’s throat. He could not afford to let go of logic, not in this situation, but it had inexplicably deserted him.

But despite everything that had gone wrong, he couldn’t bring himself to wish he had killed him after all. He could justify that with logic — after tonight, he could admit that he might have underestimated Kirigiri’s skill in reading people in his initial plan — but it went further than that. There was a part of him that he did not, could not, comprehend, that preferred the idea of meeting up with Kirigiri and Naegi tomorrow to the idea of walking out of the school with them dead.

There was no point dwelling on the path closed to him. He would have to adapt; work with the pair, while holding fast to logic and keeping his cursed _emotions_ in check. He could not afford to let them catch him off-guard with their psychoanalysis and _hand-holding._

Even if he missed it.


End file.
